High Court gives six weeks time to UP government on PIL against Mayawati

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday gave six weeks time to UP government to file its counter affidavit on a PIL seeking direction to the state to institute an inquiry against Mayawati for alleged misuse of public money in construction of memorials during her tenure as Chief Minister.

A division bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justice Krishana Murari passed the order on a PIL filed by one Bharat Nath Shukla, a Shiv Sena spokesperson.

The court fixed January 15, 2015 as the next date of hearing the matter. Petitioner's counsel H S Jain said that it has been submitted that from the material on record and reports of Lokayukt and CAG, "there is not an iota of doubt that public money has been misappropriated" in construction of memorials and gardens in Lucknow and Noida during Mayawati's tenure as Chief Minister from 2007-2012.

The petition alleged that corruption was at its peak in the name of the projects and public money was "embezzled by persons who were custodian of public money and were at the helm of the affairs," Jain said.